​If a playoff is needed between Ryan Fox and Cameron Young to determine the winner of this year’s Open Championship, the R&A will utilize a three-hole aggregate scoring system.If two or more players are tied through 72 holes of regulation, they will compete over three playoff holes with the scores being added up. If there is still a tie between at least two players, sudden death will be used.The R&A announced those aggregate holes at Royal Birkdale will be the par-5 14th, par-3 15th and par-4 18th. The 18th hole would be used for sudden death.The aggregate total depends on the venue. Officials have previously employed three-hole playoffs at Royal Portrush and Royal St. George’s because of their routing. Most venues, however, use a four-hole aggregate.The R&A has used a multi-hole playoff system since 1986. Prior to that, the championship used both 18- and 36-hole playoffs during different eras. The Open has been decided 21 times in a playoff, the first in 1876.The most recent playoff was 2015 at St. Andrews, when Zach Johnson prevailed over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman.By comparison, the Masters uses sudden death, the PGA Championship a three-hole aggregate and the U.S. Open a two-hole aggregate.OPEN NEWSLETTERSign up for the Rex & Lav “Live From” newsletter. Enjoy on-site insight, news and commentary from the game’s biggest events.
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